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Shockwave's Tower - The Main Laboratory

The two Decepticon fliers staggered back over to the refueling station, both noticeably weakened by lack of energy. This time they were even more wary of the new fuel they were using. It had seemed to give a rush at first but neither of them were going to forget the drain it gave them at the end. Whatever the stuff was it was far different from normal energon. Both were convinced that continued use of it would only hasten their demise.

Darkwing and Dreadwind refueled and switched to the other’s test. Dreadwind pushed back against the press while Darkwing began blazing away with his electro-kinetic blasters. The results proved nearly identical to the initial tests as both Decepticons excelled early on but began to tail off at an increasing rate as they ran out of energy.

*

Thunderwing’s Lab

The Decepticon scientist had virtually locked himself inside of his lab since greeting the newly arrived Decepticons. He knew that the new systems and abilities he had equipped himself with would be in high demand in the Decepticon Empire. Unfortunately they would be somewhat difficult, but not impossible, to duplicate. The Pretender process would only work on certain subjects. Finding the Decepticons it could be applied to would be time consuming.

Thunderwing straightened as he received the signal from Shockwave. He knew the other Decepticon would not summon him unless he had something of some importance to discuss. Perhaps he had made some progress on his own experiments. He assumed that the commander had been as busy with his work as he had been with his. While he didn’t know all of the details behind Shockwave’s experiment he was interested, if a bit wary, in seeing what he had come up with. He quickly made his way out of the lab.

Shockwave's Tower - The Main Laboratory

Thunderwing entered the lab, sparing an intrigued glance at Skullcruncher and his companions. He did not recall seeing any of them arriving on Cybertron. The commander must have summoned his own reinforcements.

His gaze then shifted to where Darkwing and Dreadwind were going through rigorous combat testing. It did appear that Shockwave was well along on his own experiments. Perhaps once he had seen the results of them he could adapt them to his own work. It would have to be carefully done, both practically and politically. Practical in account of bringing together two very new and not completely tried and tested technologies. Politically in that he did not want to steal all credit from Shockwave, as he was likely counting on this to catapult him back into the highest echelons of the Decepticon ranks.

Thunderwing offered a salute to Shockwave. “Reporting as ordered Commander.”

*

Polyhex - Base Perimeter

Tantrum wasn’t exactly mechanically inclined, but still he obeyed Razorclaw’s orders and moved on to the next autocannon. This one had a bit of obvious damage that he could take care of. The barrels were bent, probably by some fallen bit of debris. Grabbing a massive hammer from the tools he had dragged along he began banging the barrel back into shape. While it was quite a battle, at the very least he was hitting something. It made his temper simmer down just a slight bit.

He grunted in annoyance when he heard he was assigned to Swindle once more. He didn’t trust the little Decepticon. He always figured that he was just waiting for him to go offline so he could sell his fuel tanks off to whoever could pay for them.

Polyhex - Base Perimeter

"Ah no..." Swindle curses as he recieves Razorclaws message. Now that he'd finished one bank of Autocannons, he'd hoped to get a break. But it wasn't the work he minded, so much as the company. Not that he wanted to be too far from other Decepticons after the earlier incident, but being around Tantrum was potentially more dangerous that a dozen Aerialbots....

Still, not following orders would be far more dangerous in Shockwaves efficient little army, so Swindle finishes the current autocannon, transforms, and heads to Tantrums location. Seeing the larger Predacon, he comes to a stop at what he hopes is a safe distance.

"Hey there, Tantrum...Uh, so, how do ya want to do this? If you want I can just quickly scout out which cannons need refueling and which need repair, and then we split them up? ...Or I can just do it, while you stand watch. Whatever works for you."

Shockwave's Tower - The Main Laboratory

It had certainly taken its time but Darkwing and Dreadwind had finally managed to finish the tests Shockwave had forced them to perform. And the results had been what he had expected. While this sustenance had its drawbacks, it was definitely an advantage Megatron had been seeking over the Autobots. Carefully planned strikes with soldiers powered by ultra energon could easily change the direction of the war. However there was still the issue of acquiring enough ore-13 to refine the needed amounts of ultra energon.

"The tests are over. You may refuel now." Shockwave spoke up to his two test subjects while running an analysis on the plasma sample - the raw form of energy from the plasma energy chamber that was responsible of the natural energon growth on Cybertron.

As Razorclaw and Thunderwing entered the lab, Shockwave did not greet them. Instead he continued running diagnostic on the plasma sample.

"Analysis: Plasma energy potency is still below desired parameters. Conclusion: Cybertron's own energy supply is not ready for activation of cyberforming process. Transferring enough energon to Cybertron impractical. Dangerous." he finally stated and turned to face the two Decepticons he had summoned.

"Primary mission objective forfeited. Moving to secondary mission objective." He stated and generated a holographic display of Cybertron between him and Thunderwing, the tunnels leading into the plasma energy chamber highlighted on the map. "More safely confined plasma energy has to be collected. Your task is to find the means to transfer enough of it safely to Thanatos and then lead a team to collect what we need. This is of utmost urgency. You have Blackwind, Darkwing, Dreadwind, Skullcruncher and his minions and Weirdwolf at your disposal for this task."

"Meanwhile, I will travel to Kolkular with the Predacons with the goal of salvaging the cyberforming infrastructure I built there with the Constructicons tens of thousands of vorns ago. However, the tower and Thanatos will not be left undefended. I have summoned Onslaught and his team to reinforce our defenses." Shockwave explained and turned his gaze towards the leader of the Predacons. "Razorclaw, prepare your team for a journey to Orbital Torus State of Kaon. Report to me when you are ready to move."

After addressing Razorclaw, Shockwave turned his gaze back on Thunderwing. "Questions?"

Shockwave's Tower - Main Laboratory

Razorclaw listened carefully to everything that Shockwave had to say regarding the change in the mission objective. Apparently, things hadn't gone quite according to plan, and thus the cycloptic mech had to make some necessary alterations. That was fine with the Predacon Commander. In the end, all that was important was further strengthening the Decepticon Empire and maintaining, with the goal of ultimately expanding, their presence on Cybertron.

The one-eyed scientist laid out two missions that would be conducted simultaneously, one of which involved the Predacons traveling to Kaon to help salvage special cyber-forming equipment the Constructicons had built long ago. "Understood, my lord," Razorclaw responded to Shockwave. "I will assemble my team without delay." The Predacon Commander gave a respectful bow and then quickly left the main laboratory.

As Razorclaw made his way through the corridors of the tower, he opened a comm line to his team:

>>"Predacons, this is Razorclaw. We have a new mission. Finish what you are doing immediately and gather at the tower's main entrance. You will be briefed once everyone is assembled."<<

Razorclaw then shut off his comm link and made his way to the main entrance of the tower.

Outskirts of Polyhex

Divebomb had failed to complete his mission. Razorclaw had sent him, accompanied by Blackwind, to follow the Dinobots back to their base and gather what information he could. Unfortunately, Divebomb had suffered some damage to his right wing during his fight with Swoop. At first, the aerial Predacon paid it no mind and simply went slow, flying low to the ground while using the surrounding buildings as cover and as a place to rest his wing. However, as the mission wore on, Divebomb's wing continued to falter until he could no longer fly at all and was forced to transform and land. At that point, he had no other option but to start hiking it back to base on foot where he would finally get the needed repairs and also most likely face his commander's wrath.

Base Perimeter

As Shockwave's tower loomed directly ahead, Divebomb caught sight of two mechs working on one of the nearby autocannons. He carefully approached them and saw that it was Rampage and Headstrong. Great. Just what I need, Divebomb thought to himself, not really wanting to deal with his teammates right at the moment. He could barely stand most of them, especially these two. Maybe, if I just keep walking, they won't notice me.

"Hey, Divebomb!" Rampage suddenly shouted as he finished working on the autocannon. "Where you been, huh? Haven't seen you in several cycles. You off making another stupid nest while the rest of us working?" The comment elicited laughter from both Rampage and Headstrong.

Divebomb stopped in his tracks and faced his dimwitted comrades. "No, I wasn't making another nest, Rampage. I was on a scouting mission with Blackwind."

"Oh, okay. So why are you walking back on foot instead of flying?" Rampage inquired. "Doesn't that take longer?"

Divebomb lowered his head and sighed. He was about to give a response when a communique from Razorclaw came in over their comm lines. Saved by the bell, Divebomb thought as he and the others listened. Once the message was done, Headstrong and Rampage began gathering up their tools as Divebomb went ahead of them towards the tower's main entrance.

Shockwave's Tower - Main Entrance

Razorclaw was the first to arrive at the main entrance. After waiting for only a few cycles, he saw Divebomb approach from the ruins beyond. The flying Predacon stood before his commander with a defeated look upon his faceplate, his optics gazing down towards the ground. "Look at me, Divebomb," Razorclaw demanded as his subordinate raised his head and finally made eye contact. "What do you have to report from your scouting mission?"

Divebomb swallowed hard before responding. "I have nothing to report, Commander Razorclaw. My damaged wing gave out before I could complete the mission. I was unable to keep up with Blackwind and was forced to return on foot, sir."

Razorclaw stared the flying Predacon directly in the optics. "I see. Well, perhaps you should have been more forthcoming about the severity of your wing damage when I first assigned you to the scouting mission. Instead, you withheld vital information from me and jeopardized the entire mission!" Razorclaw's anger grew as he suddenly backhanded Divebomb across his faceplate, knocking the flying Predacon to the ground. "Let that be your one and only warning from me, Divebomb. Failure will not be tolerated for any reason. You are a Predacon! Start acting like one or you'll suffer the same fate as Howlstrike! Is that understood?"

Divebomb rubbed his chin and looked up at the Predacon Commander. "Yes, sir. I understand fully."

"Good. Now, get up!" Razorclaw regained his composure as both Headstrong and Rampage cautiously approached, having seen the violent exchange from a distance. Razorclaw regarded them both with a stern look. "Fall into formation the three of you. Once Tantrum arrives, I will brief you all on the mission ahead."

Shockwave's Tower - The Main Laboratory

Thunderwing listened quietly as Shockwave finished his experiments. It seemed that they were not all going quite as well as the commander had hoped they would. It was unfortunate as he was interested in seeing the results and perhaps applying them to his work as well. Who knows what this new fuel source could contribute to the carapace process. While it might not have been anything dramatic, it still would have been interesting.

The Decepticon’s attention was brought back to the current situation as Shockwave detailed the upcoming moves they were making on Cybertron. It seemed that the commander had called in some non-insignificant reinforcements for this operation. They would be needed if they were to divide up their forces. The balance of power on Cybertron between them and the Autobots appeared to be a delicate one.

The Decepticon scientist had never ventured very deeply into Cybertron. He had heard stories though, of ancient and twisted beings that fed on any foolish mechs who dared go so deep towards the core of the planet. The fact that Shockwave was assigning such a relatively heavily armed group to assist him on this mission likely meant he didn’t believe these rumors to be completely false.

Of course even if there weren’t monsters lurking in the core the journey was liable to be a perilous one. The paths to the core were only roughly charted, and that was primarily before the war. Who knew what those paths would look like now after so much warfare and a near total environmental collapse.

When Shockwave turned to him to ask for questions Thunderwing shook his head. “Negative commander. I believe I already have containers that should be able to carry the sample you require from the core to the surface. We will be on our way as soon as we have gathered all of the necessary equipment.”

He turned to Weirdwolf, Skullcruncher, Dreadwind and Darkwing. “Get refueled and armed. We will be moving out as soon as I have obtained some equipment from my lab.”

Thunderwing then turned and left, heading towards his lab. He opened a frequency as he walked. >>”Blackwind, meet me in my lab please. We have a new mission.”<<

*

Base Perimeter

Tantrum looked up as the shifty little Decepticon arrived. He immediately started prattling nervously. He could feel sparks already starting to leap from his horns in annoyance. Before he could reply to him he received a signal from Razorclaw. A smile spread across the Predacon’s face. “Do whatever you want Swindle, I’ve got new orders now.”

The Predacon transformed and began smashing a path back towards the main tower entrance. He pulled to a stop in front of Razorclaw. He snorted and transformed back to his robot mode. “Got your signal. We have a new mission?”

Shockwave’s Tower – Main Entrance

Once Tantrum had joined the assembled Predacons, Razorclaw wasted no time in briefing the elite squad on their new mission. “Listen up Predacons! Things have changed regarding the primary objective here on Cybertron. As a result, Shockwave has given us an important assignment. We will be accompanying him on a mission to Kolkular, the captial of Kaon. Our goal is to help salvage cyberforming technology that was left behind before the planet wide evacuation. Why Shockwave requires the tech is irrelevant, so don’t bother asking. We have our orders and that’s all you need to know.”

Razorclaw walked back and forth in front of his team, his hands grasped together behind his back. “We must prepare for the mission. Regardless of whether you think you need it or not, I want all of you to first recharge your systems down in the med bay. Some of you may still require some repairs from our battle with the Dinobots.” The Predacon Commander shot a stern look over at Divebomb. “If that is the case, get yourselves up to full operating status ASAP. I want all of you at your very best during this mission.”

Razorclaw paused a moment before continuing. “Once recharged, we will then need to gather the necessary equipment. Tantrum, you are tasked with filling your spare tanks with additional fuel to ensure that we will not run low on energy during the trip. Divebomb, you will go down to the storage depot and acquire the needed salvage gear such as cyber-wrenches, laser torches and empty hover containers. Rampage and Headstrong, you two will head over to the armory and gather up as many portable autoguns that you can find. We will need to set up a temporary defensive grid once we arrive in Kaon. Also, for our own hand-held weapons, grab whatever spare ammo that’s on the shelves. The Autobots may learn of our mission and we’ll need to be prepared for anything. Meanwhile, I will procure us a shuttlecraft from the Thanatos. Now, let’s get moving. Cycles are wasting!” Razorclaw then turned and lead his squad into the tower.

Medical Bay

Razorclaw entered the room and switched on the main power circuits to all of the equipment. As everything came back online, the Predacon Commander made his way over to a recharge station and plugged himself in. Rampage and Headstrong immediately followed his lead and hooked themselves in to their own stations, as well. Divebomb, on the other hand, laid his body down on an automated repair table. The medical appendages quickly came to life and went to work on the flying Predacon’s damaged wing while simultaneously infusing him with fresh energon. Once Tantrum followed suit, the Predacons would all be fully charged and ready to commence gathering up the mission gear.

Shockwave's Tower - The Main Laboratory

"Very well. Proceed then." Shockwave gave his response to Thunderwing's statement. He had no doubt in Thunderwing being successful with the task given, there was no reason to tarry any further. Connecting himself into the same energon supply he had pointed to Darkwing and Dreadwind, Shockwave quickly filled his fuel reservoirs. Re-energized, he walked over to the supply of ultra-energon his drones had refined for him and loaded some of it into a small portable container which he placed into a storage space within his chest cavity.

>>"I will depart as soon as the Predacons are ready, you however will wait for Onslaught to arrive before moving out."<< Shockwave radioed Thunderwing before leaving the main lab and disappearing into the maze that was his tower.

Outskirts of Iacon

It had taken her some time but Blackwind finally made it to an area just outside of Iacon. She was sure to engage her cloak before she even entered the vicinity; she wanted to be sure that she could observe the Autobots without detection. Once she began to acquire information on what her sensors could detect she took note that Divebomb was conveniently absent. She let out a sigh as she started to move away from Iacon.

Blackwind’s trip back to Polyhex was much quicker than she had anticipated. She made her way into the hanger bay of the tower and promptly landed. She transformed back to robot mode and took a look around the empty bay. She was about to open a link to Shockwave when she received an incoming communiqué from Thunderwing. She smiled slightly as she began to make her way out of the hanger bay and towards Thunderwing’s underground lab.

>>”I’m on my way now. I certainly hope this mission will be productive.”<<

Shockwave’s Tower – Corridors

Thunderwing swiftly moved through the corridors, climbing down into the lower levels of the tower and to the tunnels that would connect to his sheltered lab. He slowed his pace a bit as he received the new message from Shockwave. It seemed that they would have to wait a bit before departing, so there was no need to expend any extra energy moving to his lab as quickly as possible, although he maintained a brisk pace. He sent an acknowledgement back before replying to Blackwind.

>>”It does appear to be a mission of some importance. I’ll need some equipment from my lab to assist us in it and I don’t particularly trust any other members of our team near the delicate equipment in my lab.”<< He smiled as he sent the message to her. Yes, he wasn’t about to allow someone like Skullcruncher move through his lab. He was far too large, bulky and simply stupid to trust in there without destroying anything. He knew Blackwind would be amused by his comment.

Thunderwing’s Lab

It didn’t take long for the Decepticon to reach his personal laboratory. He quickly began digging through various bits of equipment. The particular device he sought had been designed some time ago, but he had deemed it inefficient at the time and found very little use for it. Now that they were collecting something as important and potentially volatile as a sample from the core it would like work out perfectly.

*

Medical Bay

Tantrum wasn’t particularly surprised at his orders. He wasn’t always wild about the duty, but he knew he was the team fueler, and that meant he was always loading up on fuel or giving it out to someone else. Before walking up to a recharge station he made sure to connect his reserve tanks as well to make sure they were all filled or topped off even as his own personal internal tank was filled up. He stood and waited as patiently as he could for he and the rest of the team to get fully charged up.

*

Lower Atmosphere above Polyhex

With a brief flash of light Slipstream appeared in the skies over Cybertron. The seeker was a bit sluggish at first until she tapped into the reserve tank, quickly emptying it and energizing herself once more. She proceeded to detach the tank and maneuver down towards Shockwave’s infamous tower. Megatron had deduced that this would likely be where he had taken up residence, at least initially. Her initial scans seem to confirm that as she detected energy readings coming from it.

>>”Commander Shockwave, this is Slipstream. I come from Earth with information for you by the order of Lord Megatron. With your permission I will land in the tower hangar bay.”<<

Her mind was already shifting gears as she prepared to deal with Shockwave. There would be no chit chat or time wasted. The commander was all about logic and efficiency. She would cut right to the core of matters and fulfill her duties as quickly as possible.

Shockwave's Tower - Hangar Bay

>>”Commander Shockwave, this is Slipstream. I come from Earth with information for you by the order of Lord Megatron. With your permission I will land in the tower hangar bay.”<<

>>"Permission granted Slipstream. I am waiting in the hangar. Report in with haste."<< Shockwave replied to Slipstream's tranmission while supervising a group of service drones gathering up equipment for the mission to Kolkular. It was only the matter of time before Razorclaw would appear with the requested transport and Shockwave wasn't about to waste any more time than necessary.

Shockwave's Tower - Medical Bay

Razorclaw waited silently as his fuel cells were filled with energon. Once the light on his station turned green, the Predacon Commander unhooked himself and peered around the room at his squad. "You all have your assignments. I expect them to be carried out without delay. I will meet you all down in the hangar bay where I will have a shuttle prepared for our departure. Remember, Shockwave is coming with us, and we don't want to keep him waiting."

With that said, Razorclaw left the room and headed for the Thanatos. Astroseconds later, Rampage and Headstrong were fully charged and quickly unhooked themselves from their stations before heading down to the armory to obtain the needed weapons and ammo for the mission. Meanwhile, Divebomb's wing was finally repaired and his power cells were now at optimum capacity. Normally, the flying Predacon would be in no rush to rejoin the rest of his comrades, but he had failed on his last mission and had no intention of angering his commander any further than he already had. Therefore, Divebomb got his aft up off the repair table, only sparing a quick glance over at Tantrum, before leaving the room and hurrying down to the storage depot for the salvage gear.

Starship Launching Silo A-2

Razorclaw entered the silo and walked across to where the Thanatos remained docked. He entered the appropriate access codes and then entered the warship, making his way through the corridors until he had arrived at one of the shuttle bays. Once inside, the Predacon leader commandeered a medium-sized craft that would serve as a favorable transport to Kaon. When he had fully activated the shuttle's controls, Razorclaw sent a signal to the Thanatos and watched as the bay doors opened directly ahead. He then guided the shuttle out and headed for the tower's hangar bay.

Shockwave's Tower - Hangar Bay

Razorclaw carefully steered the shuttle craft into the hangar and set it down close to where Shockwave stood. The Predacon Commander than exited the craft and approached the one-eyed mech. "Razorclaw reporting as ordered, sir. I have procured us a shuttle from the Thanatos. It should be more than adequate to transport us all to Kolkular." Razorclaw then looked around for the other Predacons before returning his gaze to Shockwave. "The rest of my team should arrive shortly with the needed equipment, commander."

Just as Razorclaw finished speaking, Headstrong and Rampage entered the hangar, carrying several portable autoguns under their arms along with extra ammunition packs strapped to their backs. As the two Predacons stopped in front of their leader, Divebomb then hurried into the hangar, as well, pulling behind him two large hover carts filled with the necessary salvage gear. Once the winged mech had joined his comrades, the Predacon Commander inspected all of the equipment to make sure that nothing had been forgotten.

"Excellent. It's all here," Razorclaw said as he then turned back to address Shockwave once more. "Sir, we have what we need. Once Tantrum arrives with the extra fuel, we will be ready to depart."

Shockwave's Tower - Medical Bay

Tantrum was quick to follow Divebomb out of the medical bay once all of his fuel tanks, both the spare ones and his own personal tank, were filled up. With his specific duties complete the Predacon made his way to the hangar bay.

Hangar Bay

The Predacon fueler arrived in the hangar bay shortly after the rest of his team did. He stood next to the other Predacons waiting orders from Razorclaw.

*

Skies above Polyhex

With her orders received Slipstream launched down from the skies above Cybertron. Like a comet she streaked through the thin atmosphere that the planet possessed. She descended down to rooftop level, leveling off and reducing speed. She sped towards the tower that still dominated the skyline of the ruined city-state.

Hangar Bay

The seeker darted into the hangar bay, carefully maneuvering around the bulk of the shuttle parked in the middle of the bay. She flew directly towards Shockwave, transforming just a few steps away from him. She landed lightly on her feet and gave him a crisp salute. “Commander Shockwave. I come from Earth baring items for you.”

Slipstream opened her cockpit panel and carefully produced the samples. “These are the ore samples, as collected and processed by the Constructicons. They are of varying qualities and stages of the refinement process to provide you with a wider range to gather information from.” She then produced a datapad from the same compartment. “The details of the samples and an analysis by the Constructicon commander Scrapper are on this datapad.” Her tone was polite, but official. There was no point in trying to cozy up to Shockwave in any other way then being official and efficient.

The femme carefully handled the samples and pad. “What are your orders Commander Shockwave?”

Hangar

Shockwave nodded approvingly as Razorclaw arrived with the shuttle. The rest of Predacons were quick to follow if they weren't there already. The Predacons were far more efficient than most Decepticons. Their leader being the main reason for that. No wonder Megatron appreciated them as much as he did. Wasting no more time himself, Shockwave commanded the tower drones to load his equipment into the shuttle.

While the drones were busy with their orders, Slipstream showed up. Obviously trying to appear obedient and efficient to gain some favor. The femme was notorious for such behavior within the upper echelon of Decepticon army. Shockwave gave it no more respect as he gave to anyone else. He expected efficiency from everyone. Motivations did not matter as long as he could stay several steps ahead of mechs like Slipstream.

"Slipstream, enter the Tower's main lab and give the sample to my research drones to test upon. In the lab you will find a portable fuel container full of refined ultra energon and an encrypted datapad including my current research data on ore-13. Deliver both to Megatron."

He had nothing more to say. Instead, he headed for the shuttle. Plugging into the datapad he had received from Slipstream in order to see if Scrapper had any useful data to offer, Shockwave turned to look at Razorclaw. "Whenever you are ready."

Shockwave’s Tower – Corridors

The slender black form of Blackwind swiftly made it through the long winding corridors and then down to the underground bunker Thunderwing used as his personal laboratory. Before she turned her first corner the scientist offered a witty response to her previous statement. She chuckled slightly as she finally made it to the secured door of the lab.

The Seeker femme straightened and made sure she was presentable before she rang the door chime. Once she felt ready she made it known she had arrived at his door.

A general communications relay - Thunderwing's Lab

>>"This is Decepticon frigate the Obliteration calling the local Decepticon command hub. Requesting further orders."<<

Hangar Bay

Razorclaw bowed slightly as Shockwave gave the okay to depart and approached the shuttle. "Yes, commander." The Predacon leader responded and then turned towards his team. "Alright, let's get everything on board! We depart for Kaon in one cycle!" Razorclaw moved towards the shuttle as Divebomb, Headstrong and Rampage followed him. The trio quickly loaded all of the equipment they had gathered into the cargo hold before then finding a seat near the front of the craft.

Razorclaw sat at the controls as Divebomb took a seat next to him in the co-pilot's seat. The Predacon Commander looked over at his subordinate. "Punch in the coordinates for Kolkular and power up the engines." Divebomb nodded and did what he was told, entering the settings into the shuttle's guidance system before transferring power to the main engines. A 3D map appeared on the display screen in front of them, charting the best course to their destination, as the engines roared to life.

Once the shuttle's systems and external sensors were thoroughly checked, Razorclaw turned in his seat to address Shockwave, Tantrum and the others. "The course is set and we're ready to depart. Everyone buckle up or hold on to something. I'm not sure what kind of turbulence we might encounter in the southern hemisphere. This could be a bumpy ride." The Predacon Commander then turned his attention back to the controls. With the push of a few buttons, the shuttle slowly lifted off as Razorclaw then guided the craft out of the hangar, picking up speed as it went. The Decepticon shuttle flew out over Polyhex, gaining altitude as they headed south towards Kolkular, the capital of Kaon.

Thunderwing’s Lab

The Decepticon scientist continued rummaging through his various equipment and experiments until he located the device he was looking for. It was about the size of his hand, circular in shape resembling a thick disk. He punched in a few commands on the small control pad mounted on the front of it. A frown formed over his face. As he feared, it would need recharging before it would be of any use. He attached a cable from his personal recharge station to an outlet on the top of the device. He worked the keypad again to make sure it was still working.

Thunderwing watched as the device slowly regained its charge. He was interrupted by a signal from the incoming Combaticons. He sent a quick reply, not wanting to get into details over a relatively open frequency. They would have to be personally briefed on their mission once they were planetside. The Decepticon began looking around for more of the devices. He located another, a slightly more refined model, and attached it to the recharge station as well.

He was interrupted again by the chime of his door. A quick check of his security monitor showed it was Blackwind. A slight smile crossed his face before disappearing. “Enter.” The door slid open to reveal her.

“Blackwind, it seems we have been given a bit of an errand to complete for Shockwave. We must journey into the depths of Cybertron and retrieve a sizeable sample from the plasma energy chamber. Our team consists of the two of us, Darkwing, Dreadwind, Skullcruncher, Weirdwolf and a seemingly random assortment of Soundwave’s minions. I imagine aside from ourselves the mission will be made up mostly of grumbling, grunting and growling.” He smiled before turning back to is work station, searching for another of the devices. “What do you think?”

*

Hangar

Slipstream bowed her head at Shockwave. “As you command.” An irritated frown formed over her face once Shockwave had brushed past her. Her skills were wasted on the walking computer. He might be the smartest of all Decepticons, but she had no doubt that he had no idea what the term ‘charisma’ meant.

The seeker didn’t dwell on these thoughts however. She didn’t want Shockwave to see her there wasting time. She briskly walked out of the hangar and into the depths of the tower. She assumed Shockwave had already arranged for security to let her enter his lab without too much hassle.

The femme sighed as she walked through the tower. She wasn’t terrible thrilled about being a glorified messenger between Megatron and Shockwave. For starters it didn’t really benefit her directly, other than gaining a few random nuggets of information. What it also did was put her between Megatron and Shockwave, and that wasn’t a comfortable place to be. Killing the messenger wasn’t unheard of among the Decepticon ranks. She would just have to hope that she wasn’t forced to bring bad news to either of the powerful Decepticons.

The Hexagon: Starship launching silo B-1

"Well that went pretty fine." Brawl grunted as he stood up and moved away from the Obliteration's controls. While the Combaticon was not the smartest mech around, he was able to pilot a starship well enough with the assistance of the ship's flight computer. Still, he had never understood why Onslaught often gave him the helm of pretty much any vessel the Combaticons used for transportation. The reason was simple enough - making Brawl concentrate on something kept his destructive tendencies in check. Of course, Brawl himself was completely clueless of this.

"What next boss?"

Thunderwing’s Lab

The Seeker femme entered the laboratory and made her way to stand behind the scientist. She listened intently to what their mission would be offering him a slight smile at his observation, but it quickly faded when he asked her what she thought. The black Seeker crossed her arms over her chest as she let out a heavy sigh.

“What I think is our beloved Commander to be a nuisance. I think we will be slowed down by the rabble assigned with us. I also think I have to get into Shockwave’s lab to find out his true motives.”

She grew silent as she watched Thunderwing rummage through the nearby shelves and counters for something. The action was putting her on edge. She let out a sigh and lowered her arms to her sides.

“What in the Pit are you looking for?”

Thunderwing’s Lab

Thunderwing chuckled quietly at Blackwind’s assessment of the mission. “I do suspect their presence on the mission will be a bit of a hindrance to us. While it is a potent bunch and will be useful if we encounter anything particularly dangerous they are also an eccentric group to say the least, and not terribly bright. We will have to keep an optic on them while leading the mission.”

He located another of the devices and began charging it along with the others. “As for his lab, he has brought in the Combaticons to secure the tower while he takes the remaining Decepticons to Kolkular to access the fortress, so the lab will still have some sort of protection along with whatever automated defenses he left in there.”

“As for what I have been looking for…” he grabbed one of the now fully charged devices and tossed it at her. “They are reinforced energon cube generators. I feared that the deteriorating atmosphere on Cybertron would render all of the cubes on the surface far too unstable to store or transport. These devices each generate a cube with higher outer forcefield density. They can take more impacts then a regular cube. I got them to work but the energy usage was never satisfactory so I shelved the project. They should prove adequate for collecting a sample from the plasma chamber and keeping it secure until we reach the surface.”

The Decepticon scientist scooped up the devices he had gathered. “Now we must gather our ad hoc little team and relay the orders to the Combaticons.” He began walking towards the door. “I am sure commander Shockwave expects this mission to be done as expediently and efficiently as possible. I hope you are fully armed and energized.”

As he spoke Thunderwing sent out a brief transmission to Swindle. >>”Swindle, report to Starship launching silo B-1. You can assist your teammates in being briefed on their, and your, new assignment.”<<

*

Main Lab

The door slid open after Slipstream had punched in her personal command code. She briefly examined the room, only vaguely interested in the experiments going on. It would likely take her far too long to figure out what any of them were, and she wasn’t about to waste time in Shockwave’s secured lab. A drone wheeled over to her and she handed over the various samples and Scrapper’s personal report. The drone beeped and quickly rolled away from her.

The seeker carefully crept further into the lab, looking for the fuel container. She located it and scooped it up. Her curiosity got the better of her and she popped the container open, peeking inside of it. It looked like regular energon, maybe a bit brighter though. She resisted the urge to take a drink of it. It was never a good idea to sample anyone’s experiments directly. The femme resealed the container and picked up a datapad next to it that held Shockwave’s report.

Slipstream left the lab quickly, her thoughts already on her return trip to Earth. She already had the coordinates from her departure. She would jump back in where she left and then let gravity bring her back down to the Decepticon base. She was going to be low on fuel when she got there so any little bit she could save would be good.

The female Decepticon made her way to the nearest exit. She stowed the pad away in her cockpit and attached the fuel container on her back. She carefully transformed to avoid damaging the container, and darted off up into the skies above Polyhex. Once she had reached a good height Slipstream activated her transwarp drive and disappeared in a flash of light.

Shockwaves Tower - Perimeter

Its been a worrisome time for Swindle since the Predacons left. On the one hand, not having Tantrum breathing down his neck constantly made it a lot easier to get work done without having to worry about having ones face punched in for fun. On the other hand, after his encounter with the Aerialbot before, Swindle had developed a new appreciation for having fellow Decepticons around to watch his back. He found himself constantly checking around him as he continued the Autogun repairs, and jumping at the slightesy noise. But eventually, he managed to get a functioning set of perimeter defenses working, and a few spare parts secreted away in a hidey-hole near the base. Gathering loot always helped him to relax.

As Swindle trundled back to the tower, eager for company, even if it would be more Decepticons, the Scientist Thunderwing contacted him. It seemed a little odd for the recluse to suddenly be in command, but his codes checked out, and Swindle was hardly going to argue about someone other than Shockwave being in authority over him.

>>Acknowledged. On my way sir.<< As he changes course, the munition expert wonders what he meant by teammates. Was he just being colloquial, or was there some other meaning there?

...Oh Primus, he didn't mean THEM, did he?

Swindle accelerates, unsure if what he was going to see in the Hangar was going to be a welcome sight, but certain he needed to see it anyway.

The Hexagon: Starship launching silo B-1

As Onslaught disembarked from the Obliteration, it felt good to step foot once again upon Decepticon holdings. So much on Cybertron had been in a state of flux for so long that it offered a sense of stability. It was likely to be temporary, but the Combaticon appreciated it just the same.

"We wait, Brawl," Onslaught said, looking around the sizable silo. "Our superiors know where we are. We do not have the same advantage. Best to not inconvenience them any more than might be necessary."

Thunderwing’s Lab

Blackwind quickly caught the device in mid-air and looked over it, front and back, as Thunderwing explained what its intended use was. When he finished she looked back at him and flashed a small smile. The Seeker femme began to follow Thunderwing towards the door when he expressed his concern as to whether she was fully armed and energized. She thought for a moment before nodding in the affirmative. She hadn’t used any of her armaments recently, and she hadn’t used too much energy following the Dinobots ; so she was good to go.

Underground Corridors

Once outside the lab within the underground corridors Blackwind began to ponder the possibilities of what might have taken up residence within the tunnels.

“I’ve heard of legendary creatures that roam the depths of Cybertron. I also know that no one has ever been in the tunnels. Which makes me wonder if these creatures even exist.”

Underground Corridors

Thunderwing moved at a brisk pace through the corridors, but not too fast so the smaller form of Blackwind could keep up. He shared the same desire as Shockwave to complete this little errand as quickly as possible. While there might be a chance to learn some more about Cybertron’s recovery the fact that it was dragging him away from his own personal experiments was an annoyance, particularly considering the rather menial nature of the task. Then there were the potential dangers the mission entailed.

He looked over at Blackwind as she spoke. “There has been some mapping of the tunnels since we do have an idea where the plasma energy chamber is, but I doubt they are still accurate. With everything that has happened to this world things have likely moved around a bit down there, either from natural events or from the war. We will have to be careful to avoid pitfalls and the like.”

The Decepticon rubbed his chin in thought. “As for the legendary creatures, stories about them are simply too prevalent to be totally disregarded. There could be primitive robotic life down there, or some sort of natural defenses that Cybertron itself maintains. The fact that Shockwave gave us such a powerful group to go down there tells me that even he believes there is some truth to those stories.” He smiled as he looked at her. “Do not worry though, I shall protect you in the case that our escorts fail to live up to their duties.”

The Hexagon: Starship launching silo B-1

Following close behind his Combaticon comrades Vortex stood behind them as he leaned against the side of the hull of the Obliteration. He cast his gaze around the area, it was hard to believe that Cybertron could sustain life, even if just a small amount, again even though the planet looked no different from when it had to be evacuated. Regardless he was on Cybertron again, it had been so long since he had even seen his home world from orbit, to be standing on its surface was almost memorizing. For a brief moment the normally cool and collected Vortex gaped in awe as if he were a protoform seeing open space for the first time.

Hearing Brawl and Onslaught brought him back to the present.

"Well I certainly hope they don't keep us waiting long. I do hate waiting for a new assignment and feel like my gears are already starting to rust from boredom. Then again we are dealing with Shockwave, his overdeveloped logic circuits probably tell him to keep us waiting just long enough so we don't go inert from lack of fuel."